Flexible shock-absorbing wheel and tire



R. R. 7\ COURT BEADON.

FLEXIBLE SHOCK ABSORBING WHEEL AND TIRE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-2,1918.

Patented June 29, 1920.

V Z SHEETS-SHEET lvwewtbz RR, 5/ cawri'fieaaian R. R. A COURT BEADON.

FLEXIBLE SHOCK ABSORBING WHEEL AND TIRE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-2,1918.

Patented June 29, 1920.

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5 NITED STATES AT I CE- 3101mm nALrjHfiA'co 'BEADON, or smi e, PUNJAB, nrrrsfi INDIA.

I FLEXIBLE SHOCK-ABSQRBINGWHEEL AND TIRE.

To all whom it may'bobwervt:

Be' it known that I, RICHARD RALPH A COURT 'BEADoN, a subject of His Majesty King George V, whose address is Ripon Place, Simla, Punjab, British India, have invented Improved Flexible Shock-Absorbing lVheels and Tires, of which the following is a specification. I

This invention comprehends generally improvements in that class of invention known as resilient wheels and tires but more particularly relates to improved resilient wheels;

It istheprimary aim and object of this invention to provide a device of the above mentioned character wherein grooved cooperative floating blocks and supporting and spacingmembers are employed in connectionwith-a pneumatic supporting element and'a flexible and non-resilient r m for the purpose of effectively absorbing shocks likely to be transmitted to the vehicle to which the wheels are connected while in addition the parts are soconstructed and .related as; to increase the longevity thereof.

More particularly the present invention contemplates the provision of a device of the above mentioned character wherein the pneumatic supporting element, in the form of a tube, is arranged about the vehicle hub and between the side supporting plates in such manner as to yieldingly support the cooperative block and spacing members which are permitted a radial and circumferential movement when the wheels are subjected to pressure due to a heavy load while the wear on the wheels is taken up principally by the flexible but non-resilient tread surrounding the blocks and members.

Among the other aims and objects of this invention may be recited the provision of a device of the above character with a view to compactness and-wherein the number of parts are comparatively few, the construction simple, the cost of production low and the efficiency high. Otherobjects, as well as the nature, characteristic features and scope of this invention will be more readily apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims, forming a part of this specification. e

i Specification of Letters Patents t t n '2 Application filed August "2, 191a. Serial no. 248,045.

Theinvention. is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure- 1; is a fragmentary elevational yiew of one form of the invention, partly 1n section. 1

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional View taken on the .line 2-2 in Fig.1.

Fig. 3 is a perspectivedetail of one form of one of the .floatingblocks. Fig. 4 is a perspective detail of one form gf one of the supporting and spacing memers. Fig. 5 is a perspective detail of one of the tread sections. i

Fig.6 is a perspective detail of a modified form of tread section. r

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary.elevationalview of another form of theinvention, partly in section.

" Fig. 8 is a transverse section taken on the line 88 of Fig. 7. i T

Fig. 9 is a perspective detail I of; another form of one of the floating blocks.

Fig. 10 is a similar view of another form of one of-thesupporting and spacing mem- .bers, and I Fig. 11 is an elevational detail of another form of floating block and supporting'and spacing member arrangement. 3 a

Similar characters of reference are emthrough avalve (not shown) which may project through one of the side plates, asis apparent; [Floating blocks E and-their supporting and spacing members F in the shape of wedges with straight or'curved rubbing edges are now provided and are arranged between the side plates of the wheel in pairs vor alternately with. respect: to each other as shown in the drawings, the inner portions rubbing against the adjacent face or -portion of the pneumatic tube 1) so as to be yieldingly supported thereby. Owing to the peculiar construction of the blocks and members they are permitted of having radial and circumferential movement in the.

plane'of the wheel when the wheeLis subj ected to pressure,

The 'floating' blocks on their outer portions with-grooves- Q in which the cable G lies. Similar grooves Of areprovided in the outer edges of themem-L bers'F so that when these members are extended out' as far as po's'siblethey willnot jam the cable. The cable Gris passedaround the outside of the floating blocks E'and members F and lying in the groovesO-,O' in the latter cannot be displaced and this helps to constrain the blocks and keeps them in alinement.

' Surrounding the blocks and retained in position by the cable is the improved sectional tread composed of a plurality of sections H. Each section consistsof atread I or body portion formed'on its under surface with'a lug or bracket P which is engaged V by the tension cable and which is also acrelation on opposite sides ofthe blocks and members, the nut and bolt arrangementsbe' ing accommodated in slots N inthe inner portions of the blocks and in addition to accomplishing the purpose mentioned serve to limit the excessive movement of the blocks especiallywhen the wheel is'subjected to a braking action. These side plates are of course fastened in'any convenient manner to the hub or axle and are conveniently shaped so as to provide sides for the cavity C which receives the pneumatic tube as intimated.

It is to be noted that the essence of this invention is the non-resilient and flexible tread capable of taking tension and inside of which is arranged the coacting floating blocks and spacing and supporting members which are capable of movement relative to each other and which are kept forced outward by the inflated pneumatic tube.

In Fig. 6 there is a slightly modified form of'tread section H consisting of a substantially U-shaped body portion R at theterminals of the arms Q of which project the "tread wings. Thecable is engaged in the body portion R- of the section H" and the ends are adapted to be secured together by suitable means such as a' turn buckle not shown. In the other form if a turn buckle is used for connecting the ends of the cable it is to be understood that one. bracket may have its portion P made in resilient secby the cable.

tions and engaged with the cable subsequent to the fastening thereof.-

Withreference to Figs.- 7, 8, and 10 .thereiscemployed a modified arrangement of floating blocks and,,spacing and supporting members." In reducing this feature of the inventiontopractice-the sides or rubbing edges of the blockslE' are formed with modating the, fasteners-2 or nut and bolt arrangementsK of the side plates L; -The valve M for inflating the pneumatic tube remainingparts are substantially the-same as show-nxin the first form; "If preferred however the sectional treadmay be replaced .spaced projecting flanges E which. form grooves in which. grooves the projecting fins .1 of the; supporting and spacing members F fit. In addition the blocks and members are provided with openings N foraccomprojects through one of the plates L. The

by a continuous belt orband T of spring steel or, other suitable material which is-carried 1 As shown in Fig. 11 the-floating blocks are each composed of two substantially "triangular shaped'sections E the adjacent straight faces of which are designed 11. move slightly relative to each other when. the wheel is subjected to pressure while a similar movement occurs between the outer slanting f faces andflthe "correspondingly shaped faces of the, spacing and supporting membersF, as isapp'arent. i ,Whenthe wheel is'undert no load orpresJ-j sure the same will take the shape of a circle. However when under a load the *tread is flattened and the wheel takes the form of an ellipse; The floating blocks adjacent to the part of thetread which is-in-contact with the ground and also those diametrically opposite to themtend to move inward.

This forces the floating blocks on the other parts of the circumference slightly outward. This invention may be applied to" all wheels running on roads, tramlines or railways' It is especially applicable to heavy motor lorries, tractors, or to tanks and'ordangles to the direction of shocks -,The axle thus remains at a constant "distance from the ground.

vAs apparent the side: plates of -the wheel form guides in whichthe floating block and spacing and supporting members may-operate. Having thus) particularly des'cribedthe invention what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is 1. In a wheel of thecharacter described, in combination, a hub, plates on opposite sides of the hub and. rigid with respect thereto, a pneumatic element surrounding the hub and arranged between. the plates, cooperative floating blocks and spacing and supporting members arranged between the side plates and yieldingly supported by the pneumatic element, and a flexible non-resilient tread surrounding the blocks and spacing and sup'porting members.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the tread comprises a tension cable and a plurality of tread sections associated with and retained by the cable.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the floating blocks and spacing and supporting members are arranged alternately with respect to each other so that the blocks are capable of having a riding engagement with respect to the members. 1

4. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the spacing and supporting members are of a wedge-shaped configuration while the blocks have their outer and adjacent faces curved for riding engagement with the slanting faces of the members.

5. A wheel of the character described including in combination, a hub, platesarranged onopposite sidesof .the hub and rigid with respect to the hub providing a cavity therebetween, fasteners for connecting the plates, a pneumatic tube surrounding the hub and arranged within the cavity provided between the plates, coacting floating blocks and spacing and supporting members arranged alternately with respect to each other and positioned between the plates so as to be yieldingly supported by the tube,

the blocks being provided with slots so as and members being provided in their outer edges with grooves, and a plurality of sections formed with portions designed to fit snugly within the grooves in the blocks and the members and to be engaged by the cable.

In testimony whereof I hereto afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses, this 10 day of May 1918. V 1

' RICHARD RALPH 1 00cm BEADONF Witnesses F. SYLvEsTER WALSH, C. ELGOOD. 

